The Sermon on the Plain (Part 2) - Luke 6:27-36

 

[Title Slide] Love Your Enemies (Luke 6:27-36)

 

Last Sunday we looked at the introduction to Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6.  There is a large crowd of disciples and a great number of people from all over who came to hear Jesus and to be healed. Jesus opened his sermon with a series of blessing and woes.

 

There are benefits for those who come into the kingdom. Those who move from the influence of the world and under the influence of the Lordship of Jesus Christ will be blessed with plenty, happiness, and reward in the coming kingdom of God. Those who choose to remain under the world’s influence, following the ways of the world rather than the way of Christ, will find themselves wanting, unhappy, and empty. Jesus is promising rewards that surpass what the world can give, soul-deep satisfaction, abiding joy, and honor before God as His faithful. These blessings come from above and last forever. Those who put their faith in earthly things will never know true satisfaction and security.

 

Kingdom talk might be a bit difficult to understand since we don’t live under a monarchy. We don’t serve a king or queen. In America, we serve ourselves. The individual is the monarch. Our democracy is meant to serve us, the citizens. When you choose to answer the call to enter the kingdom of God, you are renouncing the lords and masters of your former life. The rugged individualism of America is surrendered for a kingdom identity. We remove ourselves from the throne in our hearts and place the rightful king upon the throne. We serve Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords. The alcoholic lays down the bottle, the drug addict, her pills, the guilt-ridden soul lays down her guilt and stops listening to condemning messages. Christ sets you free from whatever ruled your heart and life before!

 

We stop serving past influences and welcome the voice of Jesus as our leader! And our leader is teaching today about loving our enemies.

 

[Slide] Jesus begins by saying, “But to you who are listening I say…” Other translations say, “To you who hear me…”

 

The Greek word translated as “listening” is where we get the word acoustic. Technically speaking the sound of Jesus’ voice is reaching the audience’s ears. But there’s more to hearing than that. [Slide] The Bible dictionary says the word means:

 

1.    to attend to, consider what is or has been said

2.    to understand, perceive the sense of what is said

3.    to give ear to a teaching or a teacher

4.    to learn by hearing

 

If I were in that crowd of disciples that day on the plain, would I be one who is paying close attention, giving my ears to understand? Or would the words of Jesus go in one ear and out the other? Listening well requires the heart’s desire as well as the intellect.

 

Let’s take a moment now and pray that our hearts are ready and willing to be instructed by the Lord’s words.  

 

Lord, you have given us ears to hear and minds to understand. Open our ears, and free our minds from the clutter of intruding thoughts. Help us to hear your voice today and write your message upon our hearts that we might live as your disciples. Amen

 

 

At the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain he mentions hearing again.

 

[Slide] Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice… they are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

Luke 6:47-48

 

Hearing leads to action. If hearing doesn’t change our behavior, then we haven’t been paying attention. What kind of action? Loving deeds.

 

[Slide] Jesus taught his disciples that God desires fruit and that fruit is good deeds empowered by love. Jesus said,

 

[Slide] This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:8

 

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

 

Loving deeds are the fruit God requires from us and when we love our enemies, as well as one another, we show the world that we belong to Jesus.

 

But what is love? If we are to love our enemies, what does that look like?

 

The Greeks had several words that we translate as love. There’s philo, familial love, the kind of love we have for family and close relatives. There is eros, erotic or romantic love. Eros can the sensual attraction we have for certain foods, fragrances, music and sound, textures, and visual stimuli. Eros is sensual delight. But the kind of love Jesus is talking about is agape. Agape love is other seeking, self-giving love. The Greeks reserved the use of agape mostly in terms of the worship of their gods. Agape is love for the gods. But the early church used the word to describe the love of God shown to us in the crucifixion of Jesus. The apostle John said it best.

 

[Slide] This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

What is love? It’s laying down your life. It’s laying down your needs, wants, and desires, and putting the needs of others ahead of your own.

John Wesley

[Slide] John Wesley, the 18^th century Christian leader who began the Methodist movement is the founder of our tradition. Wesley’s understanding of the Christianity is Way City’s expression. Wesley said that true Christianity is found in the Sermon of The Mount and The Love Chapter (1^st Corinthians 13). The Sermon on the Plain is like the CliffsNotes of the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew’s gospel covers the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5-7 (111 verses). Luke’s sermon in only 33 verses. I encourage you to read the Sermon on the Mount and compare it to The Sermon on the Plain.

 

If one were to live according to the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount and embody the love described in the Love Chapter, that, according to Wesley, is true Christianity. Let’s read the Love Chapter.

 

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

 

[Slide] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

 

If you do something good for another person, but there’s no agape love in what you’re doing, it’s empty. My grandma made apple pie. It was the best apple pie I ever tasted. But she used the same ingredients that are used by others. The difference is the apple pie was made with love, the secret ingredient!

 

So loving your enemies requires us to forget about our wants and needs. Usually when I think about people who’ve done me wrong, I’m rehearsing just what I’d say and do to them in my mind. That’s not love.

Love keeps no record of wrong. When we are faced with a person who is threatening us, we naturally go on the defensive. We might freeze like a deer in the headlights, or we run away in fear to avoid harm, or we fight to defend ourselves. Love doesn’t fear. The apostle John wrote that the fullness of love, agape made perfect in you, casts out fear. Instead love always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres.

 

Jesus gives examples of how agape love should look.

 

[Slide] do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you,

pray for those who mistreat you.

If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also.

If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.

 

When someone calls you a name or says something mean to you, our natural response is to retaliate with the same. If somebody hurts you, you want to hurt them back. But love blesses those who curse you with good, lifegiving words. Love does not retaliate. Love does not escalate violence. Love turns the other cheek and brings violence to an end.

 

We just observed Martin Luther King Jr Day, celebrating the civil rights leader whose leadership brought about sweeping social changes in America. Rev. King accomplished these changes through nonviolent resistance. The nation watched in horror on their television sets as black Americans, marching against injustice, were knocked down by fire hoses, beaten with clubs by uniformed police, and dragged away to prison. For most Americans it looked like something that happened in Nazi Germany, not the United States. The marchers didn’t retaliate with violence. They weren’t throwing rocks or bricks or Molotov cocktails. They remained resolute in their demand for justice and nonviolent in their resistance against injustice.

Eventually the government made major changes in the civil rights bill of 1964. The civil rights movement had won a victory through nonviolence.

 

Love is the greater power. Love exposes hate in all its ugliness. For when you love those who are hostile and belligerent towards you, treating them with respect, not belittling them, they may soften, or they may remain hostile and stand alone. You will shine with the light of Christ.

 

If someone steals from you, your natural instinct is to cry thief and try and get your stolen items back in your possession.  Jesus says love gives the thief even more. If they are stealing, they must be in need, so give without expecting anything in return. If they steal your coat, give them the shirt off your back. You can go and buy another one.

 

Slide] In short love your enemies by treating them the way you wish to be treated. If you don’t like to be called names, don’t call your enemy names in retaliation. If you don’t like to be hit or harmed, then don’t harm others. Instead, be kind, respectful, caring, and compassionate. Often the bully has a difficult life at home. Have mercy just as your father in heaven shows mercy to you.

 

This isn’t the easy road. Agape love is the narrow gate and few are brave enough to walk through it. The only way that we can even hope to live like Jesus teaches here is lean upon the Spirit of Jesus within our hearts. His love is in us, but so is our fears and resentment. His love must have sway over our hearts, rather than fear. His love must dislodge our resentments and enable us to forgive. His love will move us to loving action. And loving action gets easier the more it is practiced. Like any skill, love is developed in us with time and practice. And when love is full grown we stand apart from others, distinguished as disciples of Jesus, a light in the darkness.

 

Your average person knows how to show love to family and friends, but few will show love to enemies. The best we can hope for is an extreme avoidance of enemies.  But love your enemies and do good to those who harm you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. And you will, perhaps, turn enemies into allies, and send a message to those who observe that God’s love is alive!

 

There is a generosity of spirit alive in God’s love. When you are filled with God’s love you become free of clutching after things, because God has satisfied your soul. Jesus taught “Give to everyone who asks you.” (Lk 6:30) Give without expecting anything in return.

 

Jacob, One who Grasps the Heel

My favorite story in the Old Testament is the story of Jacob. [Slide]  He was the youngest twin to his older brother Esau. Even in the womb Jacob wrestled with Esau for first place! When they were born, Jacob was grasping Esau’s heel. [Slide]  Esau became a huntsman. Jacob was more comfortable with the women preparing meals back at home.  As firstborn, Esau was to inherit a double portion of the family’s wealth and lead the tribe one day. Jacob wanted what Esau had. [Slide] One day he tricked Esau into selling his birthright for a bowl of lentil stew. Esau was so hungry he thought what good is my birthright to my inheritance if I’m starving to death now? So he gave it away for soup. [Slide]  Later Jacob pretended to be his brother Esau and tricked his blind and dying father, Isaac, into blessing him as the firstborn son. [Slide] When Esau found out he was enraged and planned to kill Jacob after their father died.

 

Jacob fled Canaan to avoid Esau’s deadly intentions and traveled to Paddan Aram, where his mother’s family were located. [Slide] On the way there Jacob had a dream of a stairway to heaven and God promised to bless him and given him many children and bring him safely back to Canaan. Jacob was blessed with two wives, two concubines and 12 sons and one daughter. He became a wealthy man with flocks and herds and servants. God had kept His promise to bless Jacob.

 

After 20 years God told Jacob to return to Canaan. As he neared the Promised Land, his servants reported that Esau was on his way with 400 men! Jacob feared for his family. He sent gifts ahead to Esau, flocks of sheep, goats and cattle. He hoped to soften Easu and perhaps he might have a change of heart. That night Jacob sent his family, all his servants and livestock, all his possessions across the Jabbok, which means the “emptying.” He was alone. He was empty of his strength. He was filled with fear. And there was nothing to help him save the Lord alone.  He had to trust that God would indeed keep His promise to bring him back to the land of Canaan a blessed man. [Slide] That night Jacob wrestled a stranger all night long. As daybreak drew near the stranger told Jacob to let him go. But Jacob insisted, “I will not release you until you bless me.” So the stranger asked for his name. Jacob told him, I am called Jacob, which means supplanter, deceiver, or usurper, one who grasps the heel. The Stranger told Jacob he would no longer carry that name. His new name is Israel because he has struggled with God and humanity and has overcome. Then Jacob realized he was wrestling God! God blessed Jacob and left him.

 

Limping from his all night wrestling match with God, Jacob faced Esau and his men with renewed hope. [Slide] When Easu saw Jacob he embraced him and they wept. Easu wanted Jacob to keep his gifts. “I have enough” he said. But Jacob insisted Esau keep the gifts. And here’s the reason why.

 

[Slide] “…for God has been gracious to me and I have all I need.” Genesis 33:11

 

The heart that knows the gracious generosity of God is free to live openhandedly to one’s neighbors. The soul that knows the mercy of God is enabled to bear with patience the bad behavior of others. The disciple of Jesus who knows the soul satisfaction of His love, is empowered to love others selflessly. Because we know we are in God’s trustworthy hands, we are freed of the fear of not having enough. Indeed, because we have God’s gracious blessing through Christ, we have all we need.